by FrankFirsching·Workflow
Images © FrankFirsching. Used for product review; image policy.
Node Annotator earns a spot in the blender_extensions library for pairing annotation frames with node group search-and-replace refactoring in a single panel.
Node Annotator is a utility add-on for Blender that eases documenting and maintaining node graphs. Once installed, it adds a "Node annotator" section inside the Node tab on the side panel of any graph editor.
The annotation tools support one-click creation and editing of annotation frames with text blocks. The Create annotation command drops a yellow box into the middle of the current view, creates a new text block, links it to the annotation, and opens a text editor window for the text. Edit annotation reopens that editor for a selected annotation. A Description field connects to the Blender 4.2 node group tool-tip property, and a small info icon is painted into the header of node groups that carry a description, which can be turned off in the preferences.
The refactoring section finds usages of custom node groups within the current node tree. Search type and Replacement type dropdowns set which groups to find and what to replace them with, and results list each match with buttons to swap it or jump to the node. A Replace all button handles every occurrence at once. The add-on is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
Node Annotator is best for documenting node graphs and refactoring custom node group usages in Blender.
Node Annotator is completely free to download and use.
Node Annotator is listed as compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer. Its most recent release, version 0.4.3, is a bugfix for Blender 5.1, so it targets current Blender builds. If you're running a version earlier than 4.2 LTS, the add-on isn't listed as compatible. The Description field in particular connects to a property introduced in Blender 4.2. Check the developer's GitLab page for the latest details on supported versions before installing.
Node Annotator adds a "Node annotator" section within the Node tab on the side panel of any graph editor. From there you reach the annotation and refactoring tools. Create annotation places a yellow annotation box in the middle of the current view, while Edit annotation opens the text editor for the selected annotation. The same section holds the Description field for node group tool-tips and the refactoring controls for searching and replacing node groups within the current tree.
Node Annotator does not require special permissions, as noted on its extension listing, so it doesn't request extra access when installed in Blender. The add-on is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, and the developer hosts the source code and issue tracker on GitLab. For the full permission and license details, refer to the developer's page.
Node Annotator is listed as free here. It can be installed by dragging and dropping the file into Blender, or by downloading it and installing from disk. The add-on is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, so you can review the terms and grab the current download from the developer's GitLab page. Check the developer's page for the latest licensing details.
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